Several recent headlines declares “Rand Paul is the first presidential candidate to accept Bitcoin”, however those headlines are inaccurate. It could be an accurate statement that he is the first Republican Presidential candidate to accept Bitcoin. It’s even possible that he’s the first Presidential candidate from either of the two major parties to accept Bitcoin. However, Rand Paul is not the first Presidential candidate to accept Bitcoin. That distinction belongs to yours truly, Libertarian Presidential candidate Darryl W. Perry, who in 2013 became the first Presidential candidate to accept crypto-currencies. In fact, I am only accepting donations in alternative currencies (crypto- currencies & precious metals), and I have even vowed not to file any paperwork with the FEC because I do not believe the Federal Election Commission has legitimate authority to regulate the fundraising of candidates or donations of those giving to candidates or their campaigns.

There have been other false claims about Rand Paul, such as the claims that he is a libertarian, and will point to one or two policy positions to “prove” their claim. However, he has said multiple times that he is not a libertarian, and that he considers the term to be an albatross.

Recently, Gary Johnson made headlines for questioning Rand Paul’s libertarian credentials, which is ironic considering that Gary Johnson is not a real libertarian either, but I digress. Holding one or two, or even a dozen libertarian policy positions does not make one a libertarian. What makes one a libertarian is a belief that all people have equal right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness as long as there is no unjust harm done to another.

Rand Paul clearly does not hold that one belief.

Rand Paul made headlines for his filibuster of John Brennan over the use of drones to kill Americans without trial or conviction. However, it wasn’t long after that he said he has no problem with Police using drones to kill someone “leaving a liquor store with a gun and $50.” Where’s the trial?

Rand Paul introduced a bill to legalize industrial hemp, and create some sort of shield for states that have medical marijuana laws. However, there is no proposal from Paul to remove cannabis from the list of Schedule 1 drugs, or to completely eliminate the drug war.

There is also his non-libertarian position on foreign aid and foreign policy, as well as his position on whistleblowers (re: Private Manning “I don’t have a lot of sympathy” and Edward Snowden should spend “a few years in prison”). Manning, Snowden, John Kiriakou, Jeffrey Sterling, and other whistleblowers who have been charged under the Espionage Act should all be given pardons!

It is my hope that the media will not only correct but stop perpetuating these mistruths about Rand Paul.